?The Federal Government has expressed its profound gratitude to Nigerians in the diaspora for their unwavering commitment to national development, affirming that their expertise, investments, and humanitarian service remain vital to the nation’s growth.
Speaking at the Fourth National Diaspora Merit Award Ceremony—held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja to mark the finale of the 2026 National Diaspora Day Celebrations—the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the sacrifices of diaspora professionals as a clear endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and a testament to their enduring faith in Nigeria.
?The ceremony also celebrated the significant accomplishments of the Nigeria Diaspora Health Impact Initiative (DHII) 2026, a collaborative effort between NiDCOM and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Through this initiative, diaspora medical professionals from the UK, US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Germany, and beyond volunteered their time to strengthen the local healthcare system.
Dr. Salako revealed that the initiative successfully trained over 1,000 frontline healthcare workers in maternal and child health across Kano, Kaduna, and Sokoto States, while medical teams executed hundreds of complex surgeries and specialist procedures across the country.
He extended special appreciation to key groups—including ANPA, MANSAG, CANPAD, and NAMDA, among others—for their transformational interventions, while assuring them that the Federal Government is actively streamlining licensing, registration, and logistical processes to ease future diaspora engagements.
?In her remarks, the Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, commended the participating medical professionals as true ambassadors of patriotism.
Aligning her message with President Tinubu’s call for diaspora healthcare workers to support the ongoing transformation of the health sector, she urged them to maintain their ties with the homeland, declaring, "Never stop coming home. Nigeria needs you, and you need Nigeria."
?Earlier, the Secretary to the Commission, Engr. (Dr.) Sule Yakubu Bassi, outlined NiDCOM's ongoing efforts since its 2017 inception to convert brain drain into brain gain.
He highlighted flagship programs such as the National Diaspora Policy, the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit, the Diaspora Data Mapping Portal, and the proposed Nigeria Diaspora Investment Trust Fund, emphasizing that diaspora remittances continue to serve as a vital pillar of Nigeria's foreign exchange.
Echoing these sentiments, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Abiodun Akanbi, described the awards as a celebration of patriotism and global excellence, while the Commission extended its deep gratitude to all partners and stakeholders who contributed to the success of the 2026 celebrations.
